While green hydrogen and green ammonia promise to be important clean energy carriers in future, there are significant challenges to be overcome not only in production storage and transport, but also financially realising the project. Innovate technology from thyssenkrupp Uhde, embodied in standardised, pre-integrated, modularised plant can deliver low cost of ownership and de-risks execution.
Risk analysis tools such as hazard identification (HAZID), is often a first step in broader risk management and is especially valuable for green ammonia, where new technologies and processes introduce novel risks. This article explores various aspects of HAZID, from the basics of hazard identification to unique considerations specific to green ammonia facilities.
A review of papers presented at CRU’s Nitrogen+Syngas 2025 Expoconference, held in Barcelona from February 10th-12th 2025.
Esben Sørensen and Glenn Rexwinkel of Plug Power review the safety aspects of integrating hydrogen production by electrolysis into existing ammonia processes. Novel safety risks associated with such changes are surmountable and the analysis presented shows that green ammonia production can be no more hazardous than traditional ammonia production.
Trammo, Inc. and ExxonMobil signed a heads of agreement to advance discussions for Trammo’s long-term offtake of 300-500,000 t/a of low-carbon ammonia from ExxonMobil’s Baytown, Texas facility. The facility is expected to produce virtually carbon-free ‘blue’ hydrogen with approximately 98% of CO2 removed, and will use this low-carbon hydrogen to make low-carbon ammonia. Trammo, a leading international physical commodity trader, will leverage its market and logistical expertise to deliver and sell in Europe and worldwide this unique low-carbon ammonia for use as fertilizer feedstock and for other key industrial applications.
Casale is partnering with Indian renewable energy company Avaada Group to develop a 1,500 t/d green ammonia plant in Gopalpur, Odisha. This represents India’s largest grassroots green ammonia facility to date, and will be powered entirely by renewable energy. Casale will provide the ammonia process license, basic engineering package, proprietary equipment, and detailed engineering review, ensuring the facility operates at the highest levels of efficiency and sustainability. The plant will use Casale’s FlexAMMONIA technology, part of the FLEXIGREEN® portfolio.
In its 4Q 2024 results presentation, Abu Dhabi-based Fertiglobe said that it expects to reach a final investment decision (FID) on two clean hydrogen and ammonia projects in the US and Egypt in 2025. Fertiglobe confirmed that FID on the ADNOC-ExxonMobil low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia project in Baytown, Texas, is expected in 2025, with operations anticipated to begin in 2029. ADNOC’s 35% equity stake in the project will be transferred to Fertiglobe at cost once the project is operational.
H2 Global Energy says that it has completed initial studies for the development of a green hydrogen and ammonia plant in southern Morocco. With an anticipated production capacity of 1.0 million t/a of green ammonia, the project aims to use Morocco’s abundant solar and wind resources to produce green hydrogen, which will then be converted into green ammonia. Production is expected to be used in various sectors, including agriculture, transportation, and energy storage, supporting the global shift towards decarbonisation.
Worley says that they have been selected by First Ammonia to provide front end engineering and design services for a new green ammonia facility in Victoria, Texas. This facility will have an initial anticipated production capacity of 300 t/d of green ammonia. First Ammonia also says that it will be the first in the US to use solid oxide electrolyser technology (SOEC) for hydrogen production, which are 30% more energy efficient compared to conventional electrolysers.
Australia’s NH3 Clean Energy, formerly Hexagon Energy Materials, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Pilbara Ports Authority to explore options for the loading and export of 600,000 tonnes per annum (TPA) of clean ammonia from its flagship WAH2 project. The MoU is intended to establish operational arrangements and binding agreements supporting ammonia export from the project, covering ship loading for both export and bunkering customers. Ammonia would be transported from the WAH2 plant to the port of Dampier by a newbuild pipeline located in the existing infrastructure corridor and loaded onto ships at the port’s bulk liquids berth, subject to availability and commercial agreements.